Author's Note : Welcome to chapter two! Now I have posted these two chapters together to hopefully get the ball rolling on this story and answer any lingering questions about Benjen and Alysanne's history prior to the events of this story. In this chapter you will learn about Alysanne's mother, where she came from and where she is now.
I think I will have covered the major changes that will be present in this story. But do please let me know if there is any other questions that you want addressed. As always I hope you readers enjoy this chapter, please leave a review and I'll give you a shout out in the next chapter!
The gates of Winterfell opened as two parties made their return to the keep, one returning from the execution of a deserter and the other from Torrhen's Square. Astride his black horse Benjen Stark lingered just outside of the gate and looked to his brother and nephews. As Eddard drew close a sigh escaped the young brother as he drew up his horse alongside his brother's.
"Such a solemn face means only one thing…" Benjen stated and then looked towards Robb and saw that he had carried in his arms looked to be pups, wolf pups none the less. He raised a brow suspiciously and saw that both Bran, Jon and Theon carried some in their arms as well. "It seems I have missed a lot in my absence." He then remarked lowly.
"We found their mother dead, the pups would not have survived. My sons convinced me to let them each keep one." Eddard then supplied to which the other man nodded slowly. "I fear my wife will be very cross with me for allowing this." The Lord of Winterfell then said with a laughter that Benjen shared in.
"Now tell me, how was your business in Torrhen's Square?"
"The North is still safe and secure for you. The thefts from the food stores had been cause by some ruffians, not wildlings like you had feared." Benjen then told him as they slowly rode through the gates of Winterfell and moved their horses to the stables. Two young boys moved to them and took hold of the reins while the Stark men dismounted. "Nevertheless, I stationed ten extra men in Torrhen's Square for next three months to ensure that the peace is kept and the stores remain safe." Benjen said as he hit the ground and then slowly removed his riding gloves. The younger Stark gazed about the courtyard, by now Sansa, Arya and Rickon had come bursting from the keep and now were fawning over the pups in Robb and Jon's arms.
"Where is my daughter?" Benjen then asked, usually Alysanne was never too far away from her cousins.
"I saw her heading to the Godswoods before we left." Eddard then said and moved to his children so he might tell them the rules for having these pups. Then he moved to head to the Godswoods in search of Alysanne.
"Uncle Benjen!" Robb called to him. "There is a seventh pup… Alysanne of course is welcome to have the pup as her own." The Stark heir told him and Benjen smiled.
"I'll leave that for you to tell her nephew, once I have seen her." He then replied and turned to enter the Godswoods.
Not but twenty feet into the forest she saw the form of his beloved daughter, he stopped in placed as watched her draw closer. Now that she was a woman grown he could see so much of her mother in her. Except for the grey Stark eyes she was the spitting image of Serena Umber. He remembered the first time he had met the woman who would become his wife, he had met her at the fated Tourney at Harrenhal. It had been a feast… and being the upstanding gentleman he was when he had nearly spilt his goblet of wine on the young Lady of House Umber he had, had to ensure that she was alright. It of course helped that the moment their eyes had met that he had found himself quite taken with her beauty and she at their wedding would admit to him that she had been hoping for most of the tourney to have reason to talk with him… and that she had been the one to trip him when he passed by her table at the feast.
Once the war had broken out and the bannermen had been called after the deaths of Rickard and Brandon by Eddard she had accompanied her family to Winterfell before they marched South. They married just before the Northern army had left, the last good thing to happen before the war had truly begun. Serena had been his solace, the one who helped keep him together as he ran Winterfell during the war. When she had announced that she was with child he knew joy, true joy in such a dark time. Those months had been beautiful, the happiest that he had ever known.
But as Serena went to the birthing bed… Benjen had known something was wrong. Even the servants he had heard whispered that they had never heard a woman scream so while bringing a child in the world. Without hesitation or thought he barged into the birthing room, despite the maester's protests. He wanted to be with his wife while she fought to bring their child into the world. She had been able to deliver their daughter but the damage done to her… the master had told them it was too much for him to fix.
The Gods took Serena two months after the birth, Serena had fought to stay so she might see her daughter live, but one grey morning she had slipped away. Benjen had been heart-broken, but his wife had made him promise no matter her fate that he might love their daughter for both of them. Enough that she would not ever miss having a mother. Alysanne had been born just months after Robb, the pair of them had been kept close, children born during a war could led such sad lives. But Benjen had been determined to shield the babes from the harshness that was going on around them, to keep his promise to his departed wife.
For the most part Benjen believed he had done all he could to make sure Alysanne had had a happy life. Since she had flowered two years ago there had been a few offers that came for her hand, but he had been too reluctant to let her go. Looking at her now… the young woman who looked so much like her mother he knew he had little time left with her as his daughter. Soon enough he would have to give her keeping to another man, to let her be a wife and eventually a mother in her own time. Benjen suspected that his daughter may have a certain suitor in mind for her hand but he had yet to speak to anyone of it.
Suddenly Alysanne lifted her head and saw her father just a few feet away a wide smile bloomed across her face and she ran to him, arms stretched out.
"Father! You are back!" she cried as she jumped into his waiting arms and he laughed as he held her too him, lifting her off her feet as he did.
"Yes I only just arrived my dear." He then said and placed her back onto the ground and then moved his hands to brush some of her hair away from her face and cupped her cheeks. "My… only two months and look how you have grown. More beautiful with each passing moon."
Alysanne blushed as her father's kind words and gave a shrug of her shoulders.
"You are too kind father." She gave in reply.
"When did my daughter become a Lady? I remember when I used to find you in this woods covered in dirt and leaves in your hair, your cousins not much cleaner than you." Benjen continued out before he turned and placed her hand in his arm as they walked out of the Godswoods.
"It has been many years since I caused such mischief." She said trying to sound offended but her smile could not be kept away from her lips.
"Aye… I thought perhaps you had the spirit of a wolf inside of you… but you have grown to a true Lady." He then said as they walked back to the courtyard.
"Yet I still manage to give Theon a scare when a bow is in my hands." She quipped playfully and both father and daughter shared a laugh.
"That you can, a true Northern Rose, both beautiful and dangerous." He agreed and then looked around. The parties had dispersed from the courtyard and many had likely gone inside. Patting in daughter's hand he turned to her. "Run along now… Robb returned with a surprise for you. Go find him now, I'll need to unpack my things. I'll see you at dinner." He then said and pressed a kiss to her forehead.
Alysanne gave a nod of her head and a smile to her father before she turned and went back into the keep. Winterfell was always warm, even in the depths of the coldest winters. Built over natural hot springs the builders had the heated water running through the walls to keep the castle warm. It was one of the many secrets that the Starks had to survive the harsh conditions of the North. Making her way through the keep she asked passing servants where she might find Robb, she was quickly told that the Stark heir and all his siblings were gathered into the great hall. Thanking the maid she quickly rushed down the main corridor and into the hall, there she was surprised to him all the other Stark children sitting on the floor before the head table.
It was not until she drew closer that she saw what they were all fussing over. Pups… and upon closer inspection she saw they were not typical dogs to be found in their kennels.
"Are those wolves?" Alysanne asked in shock as she looked at the lot. Many eyes turned to her and hers quickly focused on Robb's blue ones that shimmered with delight.
"Indeed, they are direwolves." Robb told her. "Their mother was killed by a stag."
"And we get to keep them!" Arya exclaimed as she was cradling a little grey wolf to her chest. "I've named mine Nymeria! After the warrior Princess of Dorne!" she continued on in her excitement.
"Me too!" Rickon exclaimed in his little voice as he tried to lift a little black pup but the pup was nearly as big a Rickon's little body.
"Be careful with 'em" Jon advised the youngest of the Stark and Rickon sat back down and dropped the direwolf pup back into his lap. The pup did not seem to mind being jostled around by the three-year-old as it starting to lay licks upon Rickon's chubby cheeks.
"There's one for you too." Sansa stated and Alysanne turned her head quickly to look at her red haired cousin.
"What?" she asked and Robb then stood. One wolf held into the crook of each arm, one was a dark grey and the other a more silver color. Each was asleep in his hold as he walked around the circle the siblings had formed and moved to his cousin. Instantly the brunette's eyes looked to the little silver one, all the pups were adorable but she found this one to have such pretty fur.
"I thought you might like that one." Robb said and smiled to her before offering the silver pup to her. Small little grunts escaped the creature as it was removed from its sleeping place and placed in Alysanne's arms. "I had chosen this one and you silver pup there would hardly leave him be, would not even look at the others when they came to choose." He told her.
Looking down at the silver direwolf in her hands she smiled as the little pup grunted and whined a little but then yawned and opened its eyes, revealing that they were a warm honey gold color. The direwolf look up at her and sniffed at her hair before it quickly settled down into her arms, tucking it's head into her elbows before closing it's eyes and settling back to sleep.
"What did you name yours?" Alysanne asked as she looked back to Robb, her eyes quickly flickered down to the pup in his arms then back up to his face.
"I thought to call him Grey Wind." Robb replied lowly. "Do you know what you might call yours?"
Alysanne pondered for a moment as she stroked her wolf's fur, it was soft. Her finger scratched gently behind the ear. "I'll call her… Frost."
Now we have some direwolves! I had thought to not give one to Alysanne, but I couldn't have her be the only Stark to not have one.
Please leave a review with you comments, ideas and questions! Any bit of encouragement is appreciated!